Nothing Left For Me To Do
by Cruxifixus
Summary: Maurren has changed since her days of ABA in more ways then one............. Going to start making this more intresting, promise... :p Please R&R. *Chapter Four Added*
1. A Habit

Disclaimer: I do not own Center Stage I just play with the toys. All chew marks will be removed before returning them.  
  
Please R&R!  
  
Nothing Left For Me To Do - Chapter One  
  
It was the nausea that had woken Maureen. The burning sensation from the stomach acid that was currently rising through her chest prompted her lithe body to course into action. She pushed the thick blanket away quickly; she didn't notice the body next to her stir into movement.  
  
The figure of Maureen hurtled towards the bedroom door and hastily pulled it aside. She barely had chance to fall to her knees as an intense wave of nausea hit her. Maureen placed her hands around the toilet as her stomach proceeded to empty its contents into the white ceramic bowl.  
  
A presence emerged behind her but all attention was focused as her vision swam and she battled to stay consciousness.  
  
A hand pulled her fine black hair away from her face and she could feel cool, strong fingers brush along her back.  
  
'You okay?' Jim's deep voice questioned as he ran his free along the length of her back. Maureen's only reply was to lower her head closer to the bowl and close her eyes.  
  
Maureen shivered inwardly, the iciness of the ceramic tiles her knees rested upon made her frozen form shake. Jim was now kneeling behind her, one strong arm around her weak shoulders. He knew what it had been like when Maureen had suffered from bulimia; he was almost afraid to leave her alone. This time it was different. This time it wasn't the bulimia making her ill, this time it was due to her pregnancy.  
  
The timid and drained Maureen raised her self back onto her knees and into Jim's embrace.  
  
'You okay?' Jim repeated, whispering the question to her left ear. Maureen offered him a weak smile and small nod, its all she had the energy to do. Jim tightened his arm around Maureen' s shoulders as he rubbed her round stomach gently.  
  
Six months ago she found out she was pregnant, a concept that had been completely alien to her 5 years ago. It hard been to accept at first, she had never gained weight like this before and if she was honest with herself, it was more then a little scary.  
  
Five long years had passed since that fateful assessment performance at ABA. Maureen had lost count of the number of times she envisaged herself on that stage, listening to the sound of the audience holding its breath. She knew it was the right thing to do, she had been miserable there, incrassated in a living hell on earth always trying to seek praise from those around her.  
  
'So you coming back to bed'? Jim's voice shattered her thoughts. Maureen nodded again as Jim proceeded to lift her to her feet. She turned while the toilet gushed loudly as her husband guided her gently along the dark hallway.  
  
The warm softness of the mattress was a welcome change from the cold hardness of the bathroom tiles. The thick blankets still held a remainder of the warmth she had left before her dash to the toilet.  
  
Maureen sank down into the depths of the softness around her and tried to find a comfortable position to sleep; no mean feat when you are six months pregnant, Maureen thought to herself quietly. She moved down into Jim's chest and breathed I that aroma he always seemed to have. This prompted her husband to once again place his arm around her and hug her body closer to him.  
  
A/N: Please let me know what you think as this is my first Center Stage fanfic; honesty is the best tool I can use to improve my writing for the enjoyment of you guys! 


	2. Mood Swings and Mumurs

Disclaimer: I do not own Center Stage I just play with the toys. All chew marks will be removed before returning them.  
  
Please R&R!  
  
Nothing Left For Me To Do - Chapter Two  
  
'Alright, alright' Maureen breathed as the baby filling her belly kicked her roughly.  
  
Since she had woken to deposit her stomach lining in the toilet the previous evening, Maureen had failed to get anymore sleep. The weary figure threw her legs over the side of the bed and stretched her back luxuriously. One slender hand massaged her back while the other gently slid under the waistband of her jammies to rub the harsh roundness of her once flatter stomach.  
  
'It's the stomach acid you know' Jim put mentioned matter of factly.  
  
'What?' Maureen twisted around as best she could and threw a genuinely puzzled look at her lover.  
  
'Your stomach acid' Jim went on 'it has to pass the uterus for you to bring it up'. Maureen cringed at the thought of last night's drama; she hadn't been sick like that for a while and it brought back some horrid memories.  
  
This was a common occurrence for Jim, ever since he had passed his final year medical exams with flying colours; he would drop useful hints on Maureen's pregnancy into the conversation. At least, they were useful to him. Maureen found them a little more annoying.  
  
Jim flopped down on the bed behind Maureen and proceeded to massage her aching back for her. She loved it when he did this for her; the pain and intense feeling seemed to melt away at the fingertips of his strong embrace. Jim's free hand took the same path as Maureen's had as it slipped around her body and came to rest on top of hers, which was still resting inside her waistband.  
  
'I have an hour to kill, what do you say we..' Jim whispered seductively into her ear that sent shivers down her spine.  
  
'I cant' Maureen uttered; she pushed Jims hand away from her swollen stomach as she raised her self gently from the bed. Maureen walked away, away from Jim. She could feel tears forming behind her eyes without any suggestion why. She raised her hands to her eyes and pressed the tears away, she had no reason to cry. Why had she refused her partner intimacy like that? Maureen turned back to face Jim once more who was still sitting in the exact position she had left him.  
  
'I'm sorry' Maureen voiced 'I just don't feel comfortable now'. It wasn't a lie; she did feel uncomfortable at the thought of being intimate with him. But why? He was her husband, her husband of five years at that.  
  
She just couldn't hold back the tears for any longer; they streaked down her cheeks as she raised her hand to her face to stifle the racking sobs. Almost immediately, Jim leapt to her side and placed his arms once again around her heaving shoulders.  
  
'It's okay Maureen, its okay' Jim shushed his pregnant wife as her ran his fingers through her hair.  
  
Maureen pulled away, a sob still plaguing her voice.  
  
'What's wrong with me?' she proclaimed more to herself then to Jim 'What happened that I couldn't even satisfy my own husband?' she broke off again, allowing the sobbing to render her helpless.  
  
'Nothing is wrong with' Jim breathed lovingly 'every woman goes through this sometime, it's just something that happens during pregnancy'.  
  
'Of course there's something wrong with me!' Maureen exclaimed, almost screaming with the effort 'I'm fat! Look at me!'  
  
As if to illustrate her point, Maureen pulled up her top to reveal the large pregnant swelling underneath. Jim sighed gently and moved closer to her as he put his hands onto her bulging belly.  
  
'There is nothing wrong with you' Jim repeated in a firm yet gentle voice 'you're more beautiful now then I ever remember'  
  
Maureen couldn't take in what her partner had just said; how could he find her attractive? All she was started and finished with her stomach, all she did was eat and sleep and retain water.  
  
She couldn't even look him in the eye; she wasn't the woman he fell in love with anymore. She was larger now then she had ever been, almost unrecognisable from back in the day at ABA.  
  
When they had first met, Maureen weighed little over 6st, underweight for a ballet dancer. But now, now after conquering her bulimia and six months of pregnancy later, she weighed just 11st, a five stone jump in five years. That's what scared Maureen; the fact that she weighed so much.  
  
Jim monitored her weight closely since the day she cried with joy over her positive pregnancy test. He was concerned at first that Maureen would not gain enough to supply a healthy baby but his fears were quashed when Maureen finally discovered the joys of eating well. This baby; Jim had often thought to himself; will be her saving grace.  
  
Tears still streaming down her face, Jim lifted her chin lightly to male her face him. Maureen's eyes still shone with tears.  
  
'Really?' Maureen questioned in a shaky tone.  
  
'Really' Jim smiled as a single tear ran down her cheek. He proceeded to wipe the tears away from her eyes with his thumb as he smiled again and kissed Maureen reassuringly in his kind and gentle manner.  
  
A/N: Please let me know what you think as this is my first Center Stage fanfic; honesty is the best tool I can use to improve my writing for the enjoyment of you guys! 


	3. The Problem with Mum

Disclaimer: I do not own Center Stage I just play with the toys. All chew marks will be removed before returning them.  
  
Please R&R!  
  
Nothing Left For Me To Do - Chapter Three  
  
'Doctor Gordon to Exam 4, Doctor Gordon' the PA system boomed through the crowded corridors of Mercy Hospital, New York.  
  
Jim let his entire weight fall against the clinical white wall as he let forth an exhausted sigh. Since taking up residency at Mercy, Jim had not only had to cope with his own 12 hour shifts but also cover for the lazy- ass medical students that didn't bother to turn up for work.  
  
'It never ends' Jim unintelligibly mumbled under his breath as he forced his feet to take his weight once more.  
  
As the young sleep-deprived doctor picked his way through the corridor littered with concerned families and waiting patients, Jim cast his mind away to the only matter of stability in his life, Maureen.  
  
The weeks had progressed and Maureen's temperament had improved, everything concerning her pregnancy was finally sinking in. It was finally becoming clear that she was going to become a mother whether she liked it or not.  
  
Maureen sat in the spare room adjacent to the master bedroom, the room that would soon be a nursery. She sat back on the windowsill and stared at the half-painted wall waiting to be finished. Drops of yellow paint had leaked onto her hand from the brush as she sighed deeply and contemplated the task ahead of her.  
  
'Walls, ceiling, floor' Maureen muttered to herself. She placed the brush down onto the open tin of buttercup paint and rubbed her large belly gently.  
  
She had promised her husband that she would not lift a finger in the nursery; especially now she was fast approaching her due date. With only six weeks to go, Maureen was becoming concerned that it wouldn't be ready in time. If the room was to be finished, she had to work on it; especially now Jim had so many responsibilities at work.  
  
The sound of a ringing phone brought her back to reality; the shrill tone drew her to the bedroom and pick up the receiver.  
  
'Hello?' Maureen chimed.  
  
'Hi dear, it's mum' Maureen's mother trilled in an upbeat voice 'I just phoned to see how you were'.  
  
Maureen exhaled slowly and lowered herself down onto the bed. When her mum normally rang, it meant she was concerned that Maureen wasn't looking after herself. The phone calls had arrived consistently once a day for a few weeks.  
  
'Oh I'm fine' Maureen supposed.  
  
'You don't sound fine dear, I'm coming over'  
  
Before Maureen could protest, her mother had put down the phone. Maureen groaned loudly, she really wasn't in the mood to entertain her mother. Without fail, Maureen heard the rumble of her mother's car in the road outside their brownstone apartment. She pulled open the front door as she stooped down to pick up a copy of The New York Times that lay at her feet. The car door slammed shut as Maureen was greeted with a welcoming hug and a kiss on each cheek.  
  
'You look tired dear' the older women exclaimed as she drew away from Maureen and surveyed her daughter fully; taking in the paint stains on her dungaree's.  
  
'I'm fine mother, really' Maureen defended; she knew her mum would not the fact that she looked tired go.  
  
Maureen's mother hummed in an unconvinced manner as she continued her path down the hall. Her glances took in the unfinished walls and dustsheets covering the floor; Maureen was sure she heard her mother tut quietly to herself.  
  
'Where's Jim?' She asked, the venom she used to reserve just for his name had disappeared over the years.  
  
'At work, his rotation med students didn't turn up so he's on emergency consultations' Maureen explained without looking back from the cupboard in which she was searching two clean cups.  
  
'Uh huh' her mother ran a finger along a line of dust atop of the fridge.  
  
Maureen faced her mother unable to believe the bitter tone she adopted, Jim couldn't help it if he had to work late. The kettle came to a boiling rage and clicked off quietly. To break the tension between them, Maureen turned and reached into the fridge.  
  
'Is skimmed milk okay?' Maureen questioned.  
  
'Fine darling' her mother confirmed 'why don't you let me help you with the painting, you shouldn't be reaching that high anyway'  
  
Maureen turned to face her; a look of amusement on her face.  
  
'You want to help me paint?' Maureen smirked suppressing a smirk as she spoke.  
  
'Why not, its been a while since I've had the chance' her mother smiled taking her tea from her daughters hand.  
  
'Well then' Maureen gestured 'follow me'.  
  
Maureen pushed open the door as she offered her mother a clean paintbrush. As she slipped the lid from the paint tin Maureen heard the sound of keys in the front door. She gently placed down her dripping brush and went out into the hall.  
  
'Hi' Maureen grinned as Jim dropped his bag down against the wall and took Maureen into a firm embrace.  
  
'Sorry I'm late' he mumbled into her ear as he buried his face in her soft black hair.  
  
'Tough day?' Maureen questioned as she ran a paint-streaked hand through the short lengths of hair that framed his face.  
  
'The worst' Jim sighed as he pulled away from her and catching sight of her mother standing in the doorway of the soon to be nursery. Jim smiled politely, he really had tried to convince Maureen's mother that he really wasn't a bad person but her never could be sure what she thought of him.  
  
'I should really get going' her mother voiced breaking the silence 'Bye Maureen, Jim' she smiled again as the door slammed behind her.  
  
'Anyway' Jim sighed turning his attention back to his wife 'are you feeling better then this morning?'  
  
'Much better' Maureen smiled 'now if you can find a miracle cure for backache short of giving birth I would greatly appreciate it'.  
  
Jim smiled as he led her into the bedroom and shut the door behind them with a gentle click.  
  
A/N: Please let me know what you think as this is my first Center Stage fanfic; honesty is the best tool I can use to improve my writing for the enjoyment of you guys! 


	4. Good News?

Disclaimer: I do not own Center Stage I just play with the toys.

Please R&R!

Nothing Left For Me To Do - Chapter Four

"A senior Internship!" Maureen screamed as she read the letter she held in her hands "Jim, this is fantastic!"

Jim stood transfixed, staring at his wife. It was true, the letter confirming his place as a Senior Intern at the hospital had arrived that morning. It was what he had wanted, what he had worked hard to get over the last 10 years. But for some reason, he couldn't help but feel a black cloud of doubt hovering over him.

Maureen threw her arms around her husband, holding him tightly. Jim however, didn't hug back.

"Whats wrong?" she asked, lowering the letter.

"Nothing" Jim's reply was meant to sound sincere but the look on his face spelt trouble.

Maureen dropped the letter to the counter top and took his face in her hands. Looking into his eyes, she smiled deeply and kissed him.

"What's wrong?" she repeated.

Jim pursed his lips and let his head roll backwards, a deep sigh escaping his lips. Jim bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes.

"I don't know if I can take it"

Maureen felt speechless, this is what her husband had wanted, what he had worked so hard to achieve.

"What do you mean you don't know if you can take it??"

"The hours are even longer then I do now, it would mean even more time away from you and the baby" with these words, Jim ran a hand down his wifes body, coming to rest on her large belly.

"I'd have to start next week, I wouldn't be here at all"

It was Maureen's turn to sigh as she looked up at her husband. She let one of her hands rest on top of his.

"You're taking it Jim"

Her words felt final although Jim knew that he would have to fight his stubbornness AND his wifes to win over this one.

Two weeks, that's all Maureen had left before she was due to give birth. Two weeks before their lives changed forever.


End file.
